I'm am huge fan of Emma Scott and her Full Tilt Duet was an absolute standout for me in 2016. I couldn't stop thinking about them and recommended them to everyone.

The Butterfly Project was a highly anticipated read for me and Zelda and Beckett were wonderfully written characters. They were beautiful human beings inside and out. I felt their pain, anguish and struggle and I immediately wanted to pull them both in for a hug, open my home to them and make them part of my family.

The book started off strong and I loved how Zelda and Beckett met and became part of each other's lives. I did however struggle with the pacing and the tremendous level of guilt that they both carried.

I felt that their individual guilt was driving their story rather than just their graphic novel called "MMI?". (A large part of this book covers getting Zelda's Dystopian Graphic Novel which Beckett helped her finish, published).

l am a reader who loves a slow burn but to be honest I do prefer my hero and heroine to spend more time together as a couple than was the case here.

I enjoyed this book however not as much as Emma Scott's previous work. I wanted to be blown away like I was last time I read an Emma Scott book but sadly I wasn't and I found that writing this review was one of the most difficult I have written to date because I didn't love it like I thought I would. The characters were wonderful but I felt they were let down by the story they were in. It wasn't as tight or as polished as her previous books and I was left with a lot of unanswered questions and parts that didn't work for me.

Looking at the reviews posted to date I am in the minority and if you are a fan of Ms Scott's, I recommend you grab a copy and decide for yourself.

ARC received from Author Emma Scott and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Once again an unputdownable and unforgettable read.
Just wonderful. Heartbreaking and funny, emotional and touching.
I don’t have the words, but she has! Emma Scott is so amazing, so talented.
Just read it ♡♡♡
Pick up “Butterfly project”, get lost in Zelda and Beckett’s story and let Emma Scott enchant you with her beautiful words

Emma Scott does it again! I loved this book, it left me with a happy heart!

Both main characters were great - secondary characters were good too.

Zelda and Beckett - each having their own demons, guilt and regret - fell in love and it was a wonderful journey. Wouldn't change a thing! There wasn't any unnecessary angst, no push and pull - just a great story, sigh.

When I finished this book, I took some time to try and come up with a words that would do this book justice. This is one of those stories that makes anything I can possible say about it seem like it's not enough. This is my first book I have read from this author. I knew she was pretty popular in my social reading circle so I jumped at the chance to read it. I see it. I get why so many people want to read what she's writing. This book drew me in from the beginning and kept pulling me until I felt I was there.

To show a connection between two strangers as strongly as she did was profound. I think it would be amazing to be able to connect to someone like that. To meet someone for the first time and they have such an impact on you. There are a lot of profound moments in this story that touched me and It makes me want to tell everyone that they need to read this book. So that's what I'm gonna do. It was simply amazing and you bet I will jump at the chance to read more from this author. ARC provided by NetGalley

5 “red balloons” stars

I tried three times to write this review. I was always erasing and changing trying to make it better. Until I realized it did not have to be perfect. Like the heroes my review will have flaws because I could never compare to Emma Scott’s writing.
So what?
I will follow a beloved author’s advice: write like no one will ever read you. That way you’ll be true to yourself.

First of all I loved the book.
Emma Scott is now right alongside authors like Amy Harmon, Suanne Laqueur, Brittainy C Cherry, Leylah Attar…in my personal pantheon of exceptional writers. These ladies are all gifted with graceful writing.

Reading The Butterfly Project was like watching the movie Love Actually: deeply moving, in technicolor with faultless cast.
Emma Scott has used many common romance tropes: two lost people who will help each other after a random but fateful encounter. Life has taken its toll on them. They’re broken and riddled with guilt. It’s filled with romantic moments and good feelings. It could have been too cheesy and eye roll inducing but Emma Scott never fell in the trap of overdoing it. On the contrary it was beautiful, moving, inspiring … just right.
That’s the trademark of a very gifted author and I would die to meet her as I bet the woman must be an incredible lady as well.
She just ripped my heart and I still want to thank her

I loved her writing. I was IN the moment, walking in the character’s shoes. I was not reading about Zelda or Beckett. I was them.
I was overcome by the Christmas tree beauty on Time Square. I was warmed all over, trapped in a bubble of happiness while swaying gently on Sinatra’s song. I could not breathe when I had to go home because it reminded me of my shortcomings. What I didn’t do to save her. I was living time and again that frozen moment when my actions caused death. I was elsewhere, not on the train commuting to work, not on my sofa not… but somewhere in a dingy studio in Brooklyn, sleeping on an air mattress.
Characters are a crucial element in a book. I have to be able to connect with them, to understand their motives, their flaws, their strengths and weaknesses. The Butterfly Project has an incredible set of characters main and side characters. Beckett is the ex con you would never expect. He was selfless, good at heart, courageous, supportive. He reminded me not to judge people on their actions. Mistakes happen you can stumble along the path. Some bad action does not make you evil. Everyone has a right to forgiveness and second chance.
Forgiveness takes center stage in this story: forgive yourself and forgive others. That’s the only way to be free and go on.
Zelda was a very endearing and relatable heroine. I loved her as graphic artist. This is the third book revolving around artists and I love Emma Scott to pieces for choosing to put the spotlight on artists. I love drawing and creating in general and I know how hard it is to live from its craft. What Zelda did to pursue her dream was very brave. It was also vital for her to publish her story as it was a tribute to a loved one.

Zelda and Becket had nearly nothing. They worked two jobs and lived in a tiny freezing studio and yet they never had been happier. They were not alone anymore. They were alike, supporting each other. Because what’s most important in life is not wealth or possessions but love.

Some of my favorite quotes:

“Lie down with me on the ice again. Look up at the tree. All the lights in the branches, straight up over your head. Be there.” “You’re there, too?” “Right here.” A long, breathing silence. “How do you do that, Beckett?” “Do what?” “I called you feeling so goddamn lost, but your voice… It’s like a searchlight in the fog.” “I’m right here,” I said. “


“I wear the words like chains around my neck. Felon. Criminal. Prisoner. I‘m all those things, and remain them, even after time served. A freed prisoner with a life sentence. Now I have a woman in my life who’s turned everything that was cold and gray into warmth and color. She’s inked new words onto my heart. Us. Together.”

“Do you ever wonder, Zelda, if you’re allowed to be happy?” Tears sprang to my eyes. “Yes,” I whispered. “All the time. Every minute.”

“Forgiveness. The word was a whisper in my mind. If I were drawing it on the page, it would be written in small letters but contained in a large thought bubble. Eleven tiny letters floating in a sea of white. Like a balloon. A red balloon and a child’s smile… “

In case anyone needs to know, the Full Tilt duet were my top favorite reads of 2016. They managed to rip my heart out and make me ugly cry, something that is no easy feat because I am a very cynical and stoic reader. It really takes A LOT to touch me that deeply. So based on those two books alone, Emma Scott has earned a place on my auto-read list.

The Butterly Project, while not related to the Full Tilt duet, is a spin off story about one of the characters from All In. Zelda was one of Theo's employees at the tattoo shop, and like most people who find themselves transplanted in Las Vegas, she was trying to escape her past. Her younger sister was abducted right in front of her eyes ten years ago and ever since she hasn't been able to forgive herself for not being able to stop it from happening. The outlet for her pain is a comic book character she has developed, and an opportunity to get it published sends her packing to live in New York City. However once she is there, things just don't go her way at all and she finds herself almost broke, completely disheartened, and desperate for a place to live.

Beckett Copeland is a paroled felon, working two jobs to barely pay his rent and trying to pick up the pieces of his life after serving two years in prison for a crime he regrets committing with every fiber of his being. The guilt he carries around from the consequences of that crime are suffocating and he lives in a constant state of purgatory, unable to move forward and allow himself to start anew and find happiness. After a chance meeting with Zelda, who begs him let her be his roommate so they can both make ends meet, he feels responsible for her and wants to help her accomplish what she came to New York to do.

Almost everything about their story worked for me. Both characters are flawed, but extremely likable, and they had great chemistry together! Their relationship was paced perfectly. The author took the time for them to really get to know each other, with some definite awkwardness in the beginning when they find themselves living in a 400 square foot apartment together, and then developing a strong friendship before finally admitting that they felt more for each other.

What didn't work for me were the cast of secondary characters. All of them came across more like caricatures or stereotypes rather than real people. Conveniently, everyone that Zelda and Beck came into contact with just loved them so much and went out of their way (almost to the point of disbelief) to make them happy. Although that did not detract from the story at all for me, I merely found it a bit unrealistic.

Overall, The Butterfly Project was a beautiful, fast paced read that was low on major angst but had a lot of heart. Although it is a standalone and unrelated to the Full Tilt duet, I would definitely recommend reading it as a follow up to those two books, as it t balances out their heavy subject matter really well.

Can i just say that i was super honored to have received an arc of this book. I will buy my own personal copy as soon as it released today, but i was one of the lucky ones to have read it before that.

Two characters/strangers plagued by guilt find each other in unsuspecting but desperate circumstances.. From sharing a studio apartment these two grow from strangers to friends and eventually lovers. It really was SUCH a beautiful thing to read and i am so happy i got to grow with these characters.

I am one of those people not gifted in the art of writing detailed, heartfelt, expressive reviews.

BUT All i can say is:

Emma Scott is one of my favorite authors..she rarely disappoints..

An emotional love story about guilt and forgiveness.

First things first: this is a fantastic book. I laughed, I cried, I thoroughly enjoyed the journey.

The main characters, Beckett and Zelda (think Fitzgerald, not Nintendo) are two of the lost souls of New York. Each are nearing the ends of their respective ropes, each weighed down by a past they can’t let go. The book doesn’t waste time in introducing us to them or them to each other, but there’s no insta-lust, just two people who need each other’s help. I loved how they grew from strangers to friends to lovers and how they each helped the other grow and heal. There was no stupid miscommunication or pointless fight, which was a refreshing change.

That’s not to say there was no conflict, or that everything is sunshine and roses. Zelda has panic attacks after witnessing her sister’s abduction. Beckett made a stupid decision several years ago which ended with someone’s death. Both of them want nothing more than to rewind their lives and change the past. Instead, they have to live with a heavy burden of guilt and ‘if only’. There’s one chapter where Zelda visits her family and I cried through the entire thing.

They find a chance at healing and forgiveness together. Not only through meeting, but through Mother, May I, the graphic novel that Zelda writes as a form of catharsis. It’s used in-story to bring them together and as a metaphor for Zelda’s emotional journey. Discussing it allows her to express emotions that otherwise send her into a panic attack. The inclusion of actual panels is a nice touch, as well.

The New York City that Emma Scott writes is not pretty or easy, but it has its moments and has real people who are trying their best. I liked Roy and rooted for Darlene. The ending left me satisfied that things are on the up and up for two people who deserve it. I will have to check out more stories from Emma Scott in the future.

Wow! I absolutely love Emma's writing style! Her characters are beautifully written and always a bit of tragedy, but I find this ok. I always like when a book can pull on my emotions. And let me tell you, she has done it again!!

Anytime Emma has a new book, I am definitely one clicking!

Enjoyable story and likable characters.. to me she is one of those authors who's stories you read in one sitting all the time

I did not want this book to end! I need more Zelda and Beckett and Kira and Ryder! As usual, Emma Scott's words just suck you in, and you're flipping pages, not even looking at the percentage you have left, feeling like you know them, and never wanting to leave their world! And then it's the end......NO! I want more so bad!

This was a beautiful story and I really loved Zelda and Beckett and their pure honesty with each other. Zelda is down on her luck in NY, trying to sell her graphic novel, and feels she can't go home. The heartbreak and guilt she carried just killed me. A chance meeting with Beckett turns her world upside down! He basically was her white Knight, but carrying his own guilt around. They were so alike in so many ways. As they struggle to survive, and become closer and closer, Beckett helping with the novel, and revealing more and more to each other, they both fall hard. Their love was something so beautiful and that's Emma Scott's writing right there! Amazing!

Of course, I have to mention Kira and Ryder, Zelda's graphic novel characters. They were a huge part of this book and I loved this aspect of it!

I have to say, many of the tears I cried were happy tears.... That first kiss, her drawings for Darlene and her Mom, Beckett.....sigh, what a great story!

YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK! YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!

That feeling you get when you a finish an epic love story, you know the one - where your reading heart and soul are filled with inspiration, joy, and a satisfaction that runs so deep you feel the story in your bones. Where a dopey smile plasters itself on your tear-streaked face and your partner says "uh oh, that must of been a good one". Yeah, that feeling. It's woven through every single page of The Butterfly Project. The feeling of hope in the midst of desperation. The feeling of calm in the eye of a storm. The feeling that everything will be right in the world even when it is so very not right. Emma Scott delivers an EPIC romance and she does so with brilliance and an understanding of the good in people that's inspiring.

Emma Scott elevates romance to another level. She does it with the utmost honesty and vulnerability. She does it so well her stories are effortless. She does it by exploiting mistakes then turning them into the greatest strengths. She does it by slowly and precisely ingratiating you to the beautiful friendship her characters form. She does it by building implicit trust and sharing. This book reflects the raw nerves of human's souls aching to let go of their guilt, of their past and be recognized as the counterpoint in another as pure and forgivable as WORTHY.

This gifted author makes you FEEL every word and every emotion. She makes you addicted to her characters. She makes you feel everything they feel. I read this book in one afternoon from start to finish. I didn't want to put it down. Not because it was so angsty I couldn't. Not because there's some big mystery in the plot. I couldn't and didn't want to put it down because the writing was so flawless and the story so real and romantic for me I just simply didn't want to stop. I've highlighted half of this book because everything FEELS so important and so crucial to the development of the story. And the worthiness I mentioned above that eventually blooms - my god, it's breathtaking.

Emma Scott feeds your romance reading soul not only with her glorious, evocative writing but these complexly unique characters too. Beckett Copeland shines as the one of the most unique NA heroes ever. Thoughtful, kind, and passionate yet trapped in a self-sabotaging train of misguided thoughts not allowing him to heal. He's a product of his bad decision. That's what I love about him. He holds blame like it's the weight of the world on his shoulders. He doesn't make excuses. His blunt honesty and openness despite his attempt at being concealed proves one of greatest character strengths - his willingness to share, his need for it. His deep level of passion for Zelda and how she makes him feel is hands down one the best feeling you get from the book. He supports her, cherishes her, and respects her as his very best friend. Beckett contests that this is Zelda's story because he doesn't feel he deserves any kind of happiness or hold interest in saving himself but for her, well, he'd do anything. He's an open book and he's a protector. I fell so deeply for Beckett even when he wasn't feeling for himself.

When Beckett meets the girl - Zelda Rossi has a dream she's willing to fight for despite being trapped in her own loneliness and guilt. With a tragic circumstance shaping her whole life she's on a plan to avenge her own young self. I loved her willingness to understand Beckett. She's fierce this girl although she doesn't realize it. She's unique. A wallflower type girl with the biggest heart that feels everything from her past weighing down on her life but despite it making it a priority to live and feel even when she doesn't realize she's doing it. She craves safety and love. Zelda is my favorite kind of heroine. She doesn't make excuses, she carries a weight too she wants to keep concealed. But she never backs down and the good she sees and willing to accept from people is startling. I loved her so much, her attitude, her vulnerability, and her heart.

Meeting Beckett starts a trajectory of change in her life she never saw coming. The two of them together battle demons in a way that's so fulfilling and so romantic. Through friendship and trust they build the dream. The way Emma Scott weaves their gifts for art into the story resonates so much. Through the depictions of graphic novels and the construction of the craft we learn so much more and get a deeper look into their hearts. Scott unravels this story within a story in the most unique way. I loved the artistry and the interesting world she creates because of it.

The Butterfly Project proved to be an EPIC read for me. I couldn't stop thinking about it when I finished. I read the last 25% over again immediately. The beautiful prose and brilliant structure of the story, the unique character development and histories all perfectly executed to create a truly romantic, addicting story. It's vengeance of your own past self. It's reflection and understanding one's own strengths and weaknesses. It's friendship and kindness. It's an exploration of the human condition after tragedy, whether that tragedy was choice or not, to heal, reflect, and strive for innate goodness. It's love and redemption. It's divine forgiveness and inner turmoil. The Butterfly Project embodies HEART and so much SOUL highlighting the best of all of us; it's a heady feeling when you finish this book. I highly recommend this story to everyone. It's a beautiful, unforgettable reading experience I'll cherish forever.

I feel truly honoured that I got to read this book as an ARC. Ah Ms. Scott where have you and your enchanting story telling been all my life? I fully hang my head in shame and say that this is my first book by this author but it most certainly will not be my last. I am fascinated by the ripples of the butterfly effect. We should all apply more kindness and compassion in life.

There are complex layers upon layers of emotions. A spectrum of emotions that bashes down any chance you have of keeping your emotions in check it doesn’t matter how hard you try it just won’t work. I squeezed out a tear here and there and that was justified.

Split into three parts and told in a dual POV you truly get to feel the emotions of the characters in the book. Ms. Scott wrote:

I wanted to believe words had power. The power to change the past. To fix what was broken. To heal. By writing them down on paper, they could work some kind of magic on the reader.

Ms. Scott this is exactly what you did for me. You created a special kind of magic for the reader, a magic of words which will be hard to forget.

I really do not know how Ms. Scott did it with the right balance of banter and then with the heart wrenching, soul ripping revelations that both our main characters come to.

Zelda Rossi has suffered rejection on a project that is her heart and soul. It’s just missing something. But with changes to make it could be something brilliant. If life beats you down then you get up and keep swinging. For some home comfort she goes to an Italian restaurant but her emotions get the best of her.

“Now what the fuck do I do?” I whispered. “I don’t know,” a low, gravelly voice said behind. “Maybe not freeze to death in the stinking alley?”

And so Zelda met Beckett.

Beckett Copeland has also suffered but in different ways. Forced to bear witness to what he had done. A felon one mistake that will lead him to life time of paying.

They come to arrangement. They share a flat. To try again. To gain something so beautiful in the darkness, to find that light, that glimpse that will shoot colour through a black and white world. He doesn’t want to sell blood and Zelda doesn’t want to go back to Vegas.

They are such complex characters that don’t want to ruin a good thing when they know it. A friendship that will change and bloom to something special. They can’t stop it even if they want to. But they are friends and they truly get to know one another.

“Beckett?” He was lying with his head on the pillow beside me. “Shh.” He traced the curve of my cheek and over my temple. “If you don’t go to sleep, you might remember I said that. We’re supposed to be friends.”

Day two, Rossi, and you’re already having impure thoughts about your roommate. But they are electric. They have a connection that neither one expected to have or to even deserve. We all deserve happiness. About forgiveness not from others but forgiving yourself more than anything else.
There were promises in our kiss. Unspoken vows to take care of what we had, of what we were creating in that moment, because after tonight, there was no going back.

And then when it came to Phantasus I was balling my fucking eyes out at 59 %. With the ballons with the emotions with everything. I still find it hard to put into words what I feel. I’m no Beckett.
There are so many powerful words her. So many words with so much meaning. Peace or at least reckoning, love, forgiveness. Forgiving yourself more than anything else. Beckett’s words to Mrs. J got me every single time.

The Butterfly Project is a beautiful, poignant with multiple layers. A book that you will have to read more than once to really let every facet of the book sink in. To feel the true beauty, the chance for me, the chance to deserve something you never think you should. I am blown away with this book and it IMO is a must read for 2017.

I was super excited to read this book. I adored the Full Tilt duet by this author. And while I did enjoy this book, I didn't love it like I did her previous books. I'm not even sure what it was , but I just didn't connect the same way. Sure I cried, and smiled and hoped. And yes, I liked the characters and the story itself. But it felt bleak. And I know that was intentional, but I think it made it harder for me to really immerse myself in their world. I held myself back a little. I guess that's the difference for me between really good and great. I know I sound negative, but really this was a really good book and I gobbled,it up in one night. I,would definitely recommend it, and can't wait for the next book by this author.

Zelda Rossi moved to New York City to forget her past and start anew. As a graphic novel artist, she used her art as therapy. But a rejection pushed her to the edge and desperation led her to ask from the kindness of a stranger.

Beckett Copeland made a mistake and still paying for it not only with his future but also his conscience. His guilt was choking his freedom until she breathed a new life into him. Both of them carried burdens of their past and must learn to unload them before they could move on.

There are an abundance of romance books out there and over time, they all started to blend together. But when I pick up an Emma Scott's book, I knew there'd be something extra that set it apart and that's what this one has.

I fell in love with Beckett pretty much immediately. His heart made up for any flaws he had. He was the epitome of how a good human being could also made mistakes, but one mistake should not define their whole life.

Behind Zelda's spunky hard shell, there's a myriad of regret and insecurities bubbling inside her and threatening to cave in. With all that she was still capable of putting others first.

I like the book premise of chaos theory - something small and insignificant could make a huge impact. A small act of kindness could change someone's course in life. And in this book, it didn't just affect the main characters but also the people around them.

I absolutely love the incorporation of comic page at the start if each parts. I also like how the story in the comic played a part in the characters' decision making.

The Butterfly Project is a story revolved around the theme of forgiveness and how one can find peace in learning to give and accept. It would appeal to readers who like stories that touch the goodness in human beings.

This book grabs you by the heart and doesn't let go. I felt warm reading it. Just happy feeling what the characters felt.

An Amazing story that hooks you from the first page. Great characters, solid plot, sublime prose. Emma Scott has surpassed her previous efforts. Highly recommend!